Appealing TV: Monday, Monday, Can’t Trust That Day

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While we’re pretty deep into the Fall TV season, there are still some shows that are on the proverbial bubble, while others have disappeared into the nether realm of cancellation. (“The Playboy Club,” we hardly knew ya.)

Of course I am talking about the decisions the networks make, but I am also talking about the decisions we viewers have also made about what to watch, and what to cancel.

I’ve made some of those decisions, and in some cases, have lived to regret them. So this week, let’s take a day-by-day look at those shows that we’ve decided to renew or cancel.

The biggest show on my proverbial bubble is “Terra Nova.” Every week I become more and more convinced that it’s just a really stupid idea for a show. Perhaps if the concept was more “Land of the Lost,” in that these modern people didn’t have a choice about walking with dinosaurs, and were forced to survive in a situation completely foreign to them, I’d be more on board.

But the fact that they are, by choice, living in a (rather small) encampment complete with (some) modern amenities, (hologram surgery! Superguns!) but nothing more than a giant electric fence to keep the dinos away, (lot of good that did against the flying kind), is maddening.

But even more maddening is how uncompelling the central family is. I do not care about the rebellious son, or the nerdy daughter, or the cop dad and doc mom; there are dinosaurs running around out there. If this were a show on Syfy, I might be more able to look past its faults. But this is a Steven Spielberg production on a major network. IT SHOULD BE BETTER.

While they aren’t on at the same time, I still feel like I stuck with “Terra Nova” to the loss of the CW’s “Hart of Dixie.” Despite my fondness for the first seasons of “The OC” and “Gossip Girl,” (both also produced by Josh Schwartz), I just didn’t feel I could take another medical drama, or the show’s “Northern Exposure In the South” premise.

Still, it has a pleasant ease about it, and Rachel Bilson is very likeable, and while there aren’t any dinosaurs running around, the people in the center of its Southern town seem much more interesting than those on “Terra Nova.”

As for some of the rest: I’ve decided I don’t need to watch any talent shows in my life, so “The Sing-Off” is off the TiVo (despite my love of Ben Folds), and I continue to watch “2 Broke Girls,” and am too ashamed to even talk about it.

If there are Monday night shows you’re ashamed to admit you like, are sick and tired of, or regret not watching at all, let us know in the comments!

Rain Jokinen watches a lot of television and movies and then writes things about them on the Internet. She's a San Francisco native, and yeah, she'll rub that fact in your face any chance she gets.

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Greg Dewar

the head writer of the show Terra Nova is none other than Brannon Braga, who brought down the Star Trek franchise with excessive bs. The show makes no sense AND isn’t fun to watch in a brainless fun kind of way, and it’s expensive. The worst episode of LOST was better than this thing.

Greg Dewar

the head writer of the show Terra Nova is none other than Brannon Braga, who brought down the Star Trek franchise with excessive bs. The show makes no sense AND isn’t fun to watch in a brainless fun kind of way, and it’s expensive. The worst episode of LOST was better than this thing.

Eve Batey

I dumped Terra Nova at the “what there are flying dinosaurs flying INTO OUR CAMP?!?!?!” episode. Hart of Dixie irritated me too much to make it through the pilot.

And yet, despite this evidence of lack of patience with irritating or illogical things, I, too, stick with (the kinda racist, am I right?) Two Broke Girls. I am not sure why! I always feel like it’s, like, two (long) blocks from funny. Maybe I want to be there in case one day they make it?

Eve Batey

I dumped Terra Nova at the “what there are flying dinosaurs flying INTO OUR CAMP?!?!?!” episode. Hart of Dixie irritated me too much to make it through the pilot.

And yet, despite this evidence of lack of patience with irritating or illogical things, I, too, stick with (the kinda racist, am I right?) Two Broke Girls. I am not sure why! I always feel like it’s, like, two (long) blocks from funny. Maybe I want to be there in case one day they make it?

Rain Jokinen

Totally hear ya on 2 Broke Girls. I continue to not want to talk about my watching of it, but WILL ADMIT part of my continued watching is because of Kat Dennings. I just like her a lot.

Rain Jokinen

Totally hear ya on 2 Broke Girls. I continue to not want to talk about my watching of it, but WILL ADMIT part of my continued watching is because of Kat Dennings. I just like her a lot.